Rev. Willaim Mark Bliss, age 86, of Springfield passed away Monday, December 18th, 2017 at Maranatha Lodge .

Mark was born September 23, 1931 in Wellsboro, PA to William Reid and Edna Bliss.
Both Mark and Gladys attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. They were married June 3, 1953 and had these words engraved in their wedding rings which have become their life motto, “The Love of Christ Constrains Us.”
In 1960 they arrived in Liberia under appointment of the Independent Pentecostal Group which at that time was largely recognized by the Liberian government under the charter of the Assemblies of God. They served as directors of a leper colony.
The Division of Foreign Missions appointed Mark and Gladys on August 27, 1965. They served in Iran from September 1, 1965 to June 26, 1980. During this time they directed the first Bible school in Tehran, Iran. Mark served as ICI director in Tehran. Church planting was also a part of their ministry in Iran which produced a thriving church in Gorgan. While serving in Iran, the Blisses and their three children were in a car accident which took the life of the children, Karen Joy, Deborah Gail, and Mark Reid. Mark said, regarding burying the children in Iran, “I have planted three seeds that I expect to grow into a church.”
The Tehran Evangelistic Center was dedicated in 1971 as the result of much preliminary work by the Blisses and Sam Yeghnegar.
In 1975 Mark was elected to the Executive Committee to serve as Vice President of the Board of Managers of the International Afghan Mission (lAM), representing the Assemblies of God.
Melody Ann Bliss (born in Bangladesh) was adopted into the Bliss family on February 29, 1976 and was a blessing to them.
In June, 1980 they transferred to Bangladesh where they were pastored the English speaking church in Chittagong. Mark also served as the field chairman in Bangladesh.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Gladys Bliss; three grandchildren, Michael, Skyler and Destiny; and a host of family and friends. Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Reid and Edna Bliss; four children, Melody Bliss, Karen Bliss, Debbie Bliss, and Mark Bliss; two brothers, David Bliss and Dale Bliss; one sister Donna Brittain.

The family will receive friends from 10-11 am, Friday , December 22, 2017. Funeral Services will be held Friday, December 22nd, 2017 at 11:00 am in Maranatha Chapel, with burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made in Marks's name to the Assemblies of God World Missions.